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Product Reviewed: Nyos Quantum 300 protein skimmer

My latest video discussed the Nyos 300 protein skimmer, including a full breakdown of all its parts.

Using it for six months, I'm quite familiar with how it operates and for the most part I didn't have to interact with it much. There was no need to constantly fiddle with the internal water level, in part because the skimmer zone of my sump maintains the same height at all times. Initially I used it just how it comes, but within a few days the waste collector was implemented to disable one pump if too much skimmate was exported. This is how I ran my previous skimmer as well, which not only keeps things clean but also sends notifications to my phone when necessary.

The footprint of this skimmer is 18" long by 13" wide and is 25.5" tall. It works best in 8.5" of water, and is rated for systems up to 1000-gallons. My system has a water volume of 450-gallons; it's a full blown reef with a heavy bioload. This product comes with a one-year warranty and retails for $1200. Using a Kill-o-watt device, the two Quantum 5.0 needle-wheel pumps each measured 30 watts of power (or combined used 60w), which means it uses one-third less power than my previous skimmer (90w).

The one flaw of the prototype model was how the intake tube didn't quite friction fit tightly enough into the pump, which I thoroughly discuss in the video. I'd expect by now that part has been machined to be a fraction thicker to stay in place for all production models. I also purchased the Quantum 120 skimmer, and the friction fit of that intake tube was perfect.

After a few months, I installed my used Skimmer Swabbie to help keep the neck of the skimmer devoid of gunk. The lid that was fabricated years ago happened to fit the Nyos collection cup perfectly, which was a lucky break. I removed the collection cup weekly for cleaning, rather than every few days. The cup cleans out well, especially the smooth pass-through neck that had no restrictions to get in the way.

The twin internal pumps can be disassembled for cleaning, but the impeller does not come out of the pump. Just something good to know. The entire skimmer can be taken apart with a flathead screwdriver while the pumps need a Phillips head screwdriver. Reassembly is quite simple and straightforward. Be sure the acrylic deflector shield within the body of the skimmer is oriented so it is right above the dual ports, directing all the bubble-laden water into the bubble plate equally. If you didn't notice this initially, loosen one screw and pivot that part until it's right over those once more and tighten the screw. Easy fix.

The best feature of this skimmer is its silence. There is no vibration, no hum, no sound of air sucking into the device. It's dead silent, even with your ear next to it. I had a few people listen for themselves as I cycled it on and off for them, and they were impressed.

The consistent results, the smaller footprint (compared to my last skimmer) as well as the look and feel of this product, the quietness and better energy consumption - all of these points add up to an excellent choice for a reef keeper running a large reef. I was so impressed I purchased another Nyos skimmer for my smaller frag system, also shown in the video.

Legal: This product was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.